"Level 28"

PLOT NOTE! From now on, the story follows two points of view: Jack and Teal'c's on an alien planet, and Sam, Daniel, and Adrienne's back at the SGC. No more confusing cliffhangers… for a little while.

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The story so far: Daniel fancies Ree, who's in love with Dionysus who marries her in the future. But she's stuck because he's a kid. So she makes him big and gets herself sick.

Sam is dying and they don't know why. Jack's going crazy and out for suicide. He loves her and now he knows for sure, so he grabs Teal'c and they go search for a cure.

And now...

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PART NINE: Splitting Paths

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Jack was in the locker room hastily getting ready when Teal'c calmly came in with his hands behind his back.

"O'Neill, what do you attempt to do?" the stern Jaffa asked. "Has General Hammond given us a mission?"

Jack didn't stop shoving things from his locker into his bag. "No Teal'c. I'm going for help."

"Please elaborate, O'Neill. Help doing what?" Teal'c knew the answer but he asked anyway.

"The Tok'ra don't want to help 'cause our planetary relations are on the fritz and we can't get a hold of Bra'tac. Jacob's trying to find a symbiote but he's stuck on a mission in the middle of who-knows-where so… I'm going to get one myself," he explained calmly.

Teal'c was about to intrude on the complete suicidal nature of his mission but just then, he saw Jack stop his hasty packing and bend down to pick up something on the floor of the locker.

He sat down on the bench beside his large pack and opened the old cigar box of family memories. He had made recent additions since the mysterious picture of the birthday party over two months ago. There was one of Adrienne, Sam, Daniel, and Teal'c taken badly at a celebratory dinner two days after they got back from the Prometheus, one of Daniel and Adrienne taken by themselves with Jack's camera one night in front of the Stargate, and one of Jack and Sam taken candidly by Adrienne.

He took it out and smiled sadly at it. It was of them kissing in a corner of Sam's office hidden from surveillance cameras above. Jack's hand blocked half of the picture but it could still be seen: His hand on the small of her back, pulling her in closer for a smiling kiss.

"O'Neill?" Teal'c's voice broke the memory.

"I gotta do it, T. Adrienne's proof that we can save her. If no one's going to help, we have to do it ourselves."

"Indeed. Then I offer my assistance," he responded, sitting down beside him and taking the photograph gently from the hand of the broken man. "I could never care for her the way you do, O'Neill. But I do care for her nonetheless. Allow me to aid you."

Jack didn't lift his eyes off the floor as he nodded quietly. He got the photo from Teal'c and put it in the breast pocket of his vest before getting up and slamming shut his locker.

He cleared his throat and turned to Teal'c. "Get changed. I'll meet you at the Gate in 20 minutes. I have to go say goodbye first."

The Jaffa nodded and stepped aside for Jack to leave, the cigar box still open on the abandoned bench.

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Daniel was sitting on a stool beside Adrienne's bed when Jack came in, dressed in full military wear. Daniel raised an eyebrow. "Where we goin'?" he asked.

"Not 'we'. Me and Teal'c. I need you to stay here and take care of them," Jack explained. "If we get stuck on another planet, you're their last chance."

Daniel was about to complain when he found his eyes pursuing Jack to Sam's bed where he sat down and began to caress her cheek. Her eyes opened slowly, followed by a smile.

Daniel felt out of place and decided to excuse himself, closing the curtain between Sam and Adrienne's bed before going. Jack gave him an appreciative nod and closed the curtains off completely.

"What's going on?" she asked sweetly and tired. "Where am I?"

Jack reached for her hand atop her stomach. "Home. Well, the SGC."

"Hmm. Close enough. What happened?" she asked.

"You collapsed."

"How bad has it gotten?"

"You've got two months," he said reluctantly, looking away from her saddening eyes.

She didn't take it too hard. She looked away as well but when she returned to his deep glance, her eyes were calm. They had no fear, something he admired more than anything.

"It was… nice. For as long as we…" she began.

But he interrupted. "I'm going to find you a cure. I'm going to get a symbiote."

She scoffed lightly. "Really? Does Hammond know of your little escapade? No, you never had any intention of telling him, did you?"

"No."

"Jack, I don't want you to go. You could get ki-"

"I'm going, Sam. If there's a chance, I'm there."

"Then will you let Frasier come up with something first?"

"They're stumped! They have no clue what the hell's doing this to you! Your immune system is attacking itself. It's not lupus or a cardiac infection, or cancer. We know the symbiote can help, Sam, whatever it is."

"No we don't! For all we know, you could be getting yourself killed for no absolute reason."

"Let me ask you something. If our situations were reversed…"

"Fine. I see your point. But sir-"

"Sir? You haven't called me sir since the Prometheus."

"Well it's an expression… isn't it?"

He smiled, remembering old missions. She drew him in by the collar and kissed him. It was not sweet and gentle and kind. It was goodbye. And she was ready to accept that.

"I'll come back, ok? Wait for me. Just wait for me."

She let a tear escape. "I've waited this long. What's a few more days? Besides, you still owe me that fishing trip, mister."

He smiled at her again and wiped her tear away with a caressing hand and leaned in to kiss her on the forehead, then got up and out of the infirmary without looking back.

Sam hid her face in her hands and tried to muffle the tears, but she knew all too well that she might never see him again.

Beside her, Adrienne stared at the roof, trying desperately not to cry herself, not to make a sound… not to pry into a mind in that state. But the sobs reached her and she closed her eyes and turned away until Sam cried herself to sleep.

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"Tell me something, T. Why would 'Mother' send Adrienne here if she didn't want her to interfere with history?" Jack asked as he and the Jaffa walked side by side through the empty streets of Chulak.

Teal'c pondered it for a moment then responded, "Perhaps she wanted to hide Ree, thus saving her from an ill fate."

"Sounds like a Greek tragedy."

"How so, O'Neill?"

"It's ridiculously ironic. The mother sends the daughter someplace she'd be safe only to die herself because of it and take her daughter along with her. At the same time, she takes her away from the person she loves only for the daughter to go searching for him in the past, where upon finding him, he's a midget."

Teal'c stopped and raised an eyebrow. "Indeed," he said and continued walking. "I believe it is more ridiculous than ironic, O'Neill. Why would Major Carter send Ree back in time if she had no intention of changing the past? Surely she would know things would change. She must have considered it an acceptable risk or necessary to change their fate. The true question is: Is Ree's mission of her own accord or does it comply with 'Mother's' original plan?"

"Right... so you mean did Mother want Ree to kill whoever's going to betray the SGC or is that just Adrienne's interpretation?"

"Correct."

"Huh," Jack said, lost in confusing thought.

"What is it, O'Neill?"

"Why are there no people?" Jack asked, stopping in the middle of the street and looked around cautiously.

"Chulak is often abandoned at this time for celebrations or religious gatherings."

They passed some broken pottery and Teal'c lifted his P-90 in alert. "What's up?" Jack asked.

Teal'c didn't respond but signaled that they were not alone. Jack raised his gun too and began to point around, checking in-between market carts and huts. There was no one. Not a soul.

The colonel and the Jaffa looked at each other, puzzled. They met up in the center of the street.

"What do you hear, T?"

Teal'c shushed him and pointed his P-90 towards the path leading to a hill at the end of the road.

"Shal kek nem ron!" a voice came from afar.

"We too die free! It is Teal'c and Colonel O'Neill of the Tau'ri. Identify yourselves, brothers!" Teal'c yelled out into the empty street.

Then heavy metal footsteps could be heard in the distance and before he knew it, Jack had a knife to his throat. When his assailant turned him around, he found himself face to face with Master Bra'tac. Jack looked down and saw his hand extended. Jack shook it enthusiastically.

"Damn it, Bray, it's good to see you."

"Tek matte, Master Bra'tac," Teal'c greeted his mentor.

"Tek matte, Teal'c," he responded. He gave a small signal with his hand and a dozen or so soldiers came out from inconspicuous little hiding places.

"What has transpired?" the Jaffa asked, finding himself surrounded by friends.

"We began to clear this section of the city after a small plague. We took it as a strategic stronghold because of its proximity to the Chappa'ai," a Jaffa behind Bra'tac answered.

"A plague!" Jack yelled. "I don't have a symbiote backing me up here guys. How bad was it?"

"Worry not, O'Neill. It is not airborne and none of the Jaffa here have it," Bra'tac assured.

"Right…" Jack said, imitating Austin Powers, and moved back a step from the Jaffa. They all looked at him like he was nuts. "We need your help," Jack continued seriously after he cleared his throat.

"Our help? How may we serve you, O'Neill?"

Jack smiled at Bra'tac's eagerness to help and reluctantly began, "Major Carter's dying…"

After Bra'tac had heard the whole story, he looked at Jack then at Teal'c then back at Jack and back at Teal'c. "You condone his choice, Teal'c?"

"I do, if it may save Major Carter's life."

"Even if it takes the life of a fellow Jaffa?"

Teal'c bowed his head in agreement. Jack knew he really didn't and put a hand on the Jaffa's large shoulder in appreciative acknowledgement.

The Master looked back at his soldiers then back at Jack and Teal'c. "I cannot sacrifice any of my men from this post, but I will accompany you. In fact, I know of just the place to find you a viable candidate."

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Daniel went to get Ree some food for when she woke up but when he returned to the infirmary, pie in hand, he found her bed empty.

"Not again," he whispered to himself, but Sam heard him from behind the curtain.

"Daniel is that you?" she asked. He pushed the curtain aside and there was Adrienne sitting on the edge of Sam's bed.

Ree smiled at him then looked down at the piece of pie in his hand. "That for me?"

"Yeah. Good to see you up, Sam," he said, handing it to Ree and walking to the other side of the bed to give Sam a kiss on the forehead and a welcoming smile.

"Hmm. The alarms woke her up," Sam said regarding Adrienne. "They leave ok?"

"Yeah, I hear they put a gun to Walter's head," Daniel said with a silly smile.

"Ah he'll get used to it," Adrienne said to herself, though Sam and Daniel looked at her with raised eyebrows. She just took a big bite of pie and smiled brightly and innocently. Daniel scoffed. He smirked but didn't feel like smiling back. He didn't feel like looking at her either. Her honey-green eyes startled him still. She was not the girl he'd met 2 months ago.

"So what do we do?" Sam asked. "I feel so helpless here."

"We have to protect the home front. Don't forget. This place is going to be attacked a total of approximately 23 times in the next month," Adrienne divulged, too easily for Sam's comfort. It was as if all the attacks didn't matter because she knew it wasn't the one she was waiting for.

"You know, that's extremely disconcerting," Daniel said.

"Do you think they'll be that long?" Sam asked, looking to Ree.

"I honestly don't know."

"Hasn't this already happened?"

"No actually. It never did before."

"How can that be?" Daniel asked.

"They never left where I came from… You died," she said looking at Sam with those calm unnerving eyes. Sam took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Sometimes, that's what it takes."

"For what? How could her death possibly be a good thing?" Daniel asked with deep exasperation.

"Because otherwise, I'm never made."

"Well you're just full of little surprises, aren't you?" Daniel yelled heatedly, his arms waving above his head like a maniac.

"Calm down, Daniel," Sam said, then looked at Ree. "It's what allows you to heal yourself enough for the enhancements to be put in isn't it? I Ascend."

Adrienne nodded with a remorseful look and Daniel closed his eyes, his hands tense by his side. She reached over and put her hand over his fist. He calmed down as all three tried to avoid thinking of all that had been done to what was once such an innocent little child.

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To be continued in PART TEN:

--What's killing Sam!

--Where are Jack and Teal'c going?

--When are going to learn more about who does these enhancements on Ree?

--How long will it be before Jack and Teal'c return?

--When are we going to find out Adrienne's true mission?

--What of Dionysus and Daniel? Who will win Adrienne?

--And finally… What would you say if I told you Daniel and Adrienne are never getting together?

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

I would like to thank the following people for their comments and true fandom. It has made writing this story something truly… amusing, if not lovely.

--Grace "AriadneInLove"

For keeping up with the adventures of a wily little soldier:

001ElvenWarrior (for such analytical plot talks), Anaika Skywalker, drey'auc475, fancymemad, Grub5000 SJ Fan, jessie06star (for never-ending Sam questions), katy1986, Matts-Girl1, meowx2, Moonrays and fridays, NadineCarter, roseofthegate, scottiedog, sea2209, selache51, Spamurai, stargazzr2, StupidMajor, tere, tmcccjc, Tony the jew, trtlsoup2001 (for not speculating on the story), and Zsych (for such enthusiastic reviews).

And thanks to the following groups:

The Best of Sam & Jack and Good Grace, for adding me.

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